Nate Diaz doesn’t typically make excuses. However, following his loss to UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson Saturday night at UFC on Fox 5, Diaz did just that.

“I got punched in the eye early in the fight and it got blurry,” said Diaz, during the post-fight press conference. “I waited for it to come back and then I thought I’d come back strong. Ben did great. He landed a shot early, I did what I could; my vision was blurry, I was screwed.”

Diaz was taken down at will by the bigger Henderson, and only landed 95 strikes to 183 from the champion.

“I was a soldier representing my team,” Diaz said. “I was trying to wait for the eye to recover, trying to see straight, and that’s what happens. Good fight, Ben.”